22 NOVEMBER 2023
By Bill Heaney
The SNP must take urgent and drastic action to tackle the cancer care crisis, Dame Jackie Baillie has said, as the number of urgent referrals for cancer across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has increased from 25,000 pre-pandemic to a shocking 43,000 in 2022/23.
This dramatic spike in urgent referrals is likely due to overstretched services and a complete failure to invest in primary care, causing initial assessments to be missed or delayed.
The Scottish Government has completely failed to meet its own key performance targets for cancer treatment. The 62-day treatment standard has not been met in over a decade. Earlier this year, this SNP Government published its latest cancer strategy, but it failed to outline when it will deliver on these critical targets.
Last week the SNP admitted to no longer offering breast cancer screening to over 75s. Jackie Baillie was previously contacted by constituents concerned that this had been paused due to a backlog created during the pandemic however, despite the then Minister claiming it would be restarted a year ago, it is still not back on track.
Scottish Labour has warned that the SNP inaction on this crisis will put lives on the line.
Dame Jackie said: “Cancer remains Scotland’s biggest killer and yet this SNP Government has time and time again failed to take the decisive action needed to save lives.
“Every loved one lost to cancer is a tragedy. It is absolutely crucial that everybody affected by cancer has early access to high-quality treatment and care. This includes people of all ages whose outcomes could be far better if they are given access to potentially life-saving screening.
“This surge in suspected cancer referrals is not just down to Covid. It’s a result of the repeated failures by SNP Health Ministers to get a grip on this deadly disease.
“After 16 years of SNP government, we are now left with another cancer strategy that is wholly inadequate, whilst Ministers drag their heels on a proper action plan and put more lives on the line.
“For months, Scottish Labour has been calling for a proper diagnostic catch-up plan and action to address the issues facing cancer care and workforce pressures, but these calls have fallen on deaf ears.
“The time for warm words is over. Michael Matheson must take immediate action, invest in primary care and come up with a proper workforce plan to reverse this crisis before any more lives are lost.”
Urgent GP referrals due to a risk of cancer
| 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | % change 18/19 to 22/23 | |
| NHS Ayrshire & Arran | 10935 | 11313 | 11776 | 15968 | 16717 | 53% |
| NHS Borders | 1978 | 2184 | 2097 | 2929 | 3216 | 63% |
| NHS Dumfries & Galloway | 1496 | 1529 | 1977 | 2527 | 2259 | 51% |
| NHS Fife | Not available. | |||||
| NHS Forth Valley | 12876 | 11514 | 13854 | 15394 | ||
| NHS Grampian | 6026 | 6102 | 7340 | 9119 | 9186 | 52% |
| NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde | 25169 | 27165 | 28040 | 39583 | 43325 | 72% |
| NHS Highland* | 4187 | 6258 | 7108 | 9358 | 10701 | 156% |
| NHS Lanarkshire** | 17643 | 17971 | 17910 | 24673 | 27937 | 58% |
| NHS Lothian | 22858 | 24227 | 23812 | 30572 | 33302 | 46% |
| NHS Orkney | Not available. | |||||
| NHS Shetland | 400 | 340 | 653 | 653 | 738 | 85% |
| NHS Tayside** | 5172 | 5161 | 5688 | 7950 | 8533 | 65% |
| NHS Western Isles | 495 | 475 | 429 | 659 | 691 | 40% |
| TOTAL | 96,359 | 115,601 | 118,344 | 157,845 | 171,999 | 78% |
* NHS Highland figures are for each calendar year.
** NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Tayside have provided figures for both primary care sites and acute sites.
Source: Scottish Labour FOI.